August 1984

Commodore buys Amiga Jack Tramiel declares war on competition Nintendo announces US NES launch plans These stories and many more on this episode of the VGNRTM! This episode we will look back at the biggest stories in and around the video game industry in August 1984. As always, we'll mostly be using magazine cover dates, and those are of course always a bit behind the actual events. Alex Smith of They Create Worlds is our cohost. Check out his podcast here: and order his book here: Get us on your mobile device: Android: iOS: And if you like what we are doing here at the podcast, don't forget to like us on your podcasting app of choice, YouTube, and/or support us on patreon! Send comments on Mastodon @videogamenewsroomtimemachine@oldbytes.space Or twitter @videogamenewsr2 Or Instagram Or videogamenewsroomtimemachine@gmail.com Links: If you don't see all the links, find them here: 7 Minutes in Heaven: Sabrewulf Video Version: Corrections: July 1984 Ep - Ethan's fine site The History of How We Play: 1974: Atari sells Japanese manufacturing to Namco pg. 49 Basketball a hit Cashbox august 3 1974 pg. 43 Clean Sweep 1 player pg. 50 Track 10 adds oil slick pg. 46 Gene Lipken joins Atari pg. 49 Medal Games are spreading Game Machine August 10, 1974 pg. 7 Cali SC rules in favor of pinball Cashbox Aug 10 1974 pg. 48 Coinop on the Price is Right Cashbox august 3 1974 pg. 43 13 year olds simulate life on computer Two Youths Turn Computers on to 'Life', Hardford Courant, 11 Aug 1974, Page 3 1984: Silicon Valley proves resilient Gloom in the Valley . . . But a Silver Lining, Too, U.S. News & World Report, August 20, 1984, Section: Pg. 38, Byline: By JOANNE DAVIDSON Warner second quarter losses are massive Warner Communications reports huge loss, United Press International, August 2, 1984, Thursday, BC cycle Jack slashes prices Atari's Tramiel Gets Tough With Price Cuts, ADWEEK, August 13, 1984, Eastern Edition,Byline: By Gail Belsky Computer Entertainer Vol. 3 Number 5 pg. 1 Commodore to buy Amiga Commodore Deal With Amiga Set,The New York Times, August 17, 1984, Friday, Late City Final Edition, Section: Section D; Page 3, Column 6; Financial Desk Atari sues Amiga ATARI HEAD SUES ALLY THAT DEFECTED TO RIVAL, The New York Times, August 21, 1984, Tuesday, Late City Final Edition, Section: Section D; Page 1, Column 1; Financial Desk, Byline: By DAVID E. SANGER Atari to introduce 16 and 32 bit systems Atari To Sell More-Powerful Computers, The Associated Press, August 27, 1984, Monday, AM cycle, Section: Business News, Byline: By STEVE WILSTEIN, Jack declares war on competition Computer Entertainer Vol. 3 Number 5 pg. 1 Jack can't collect Tramiel Reported Seeking $50 Million in Lieu of Atari Debts, The Associated Press, August 31, 1984, Friday, PM cycle, Section: Business News Imagine Megagames up for auction Coleco unveils new marketing ploy Coleco will offer scholarships to some computer purchasers, United Press International, August 22, 1984, Wednesday, BC cycle, Section: Financial Advertising;At Coleco, The Adam Is Reborn, The New York Times, August 13, 1984, Monday, Late City Final Edition, Section: Section D; Page 8, Column 3; Financial Desk, Byline: By Pamela G. Hollie VCRs and Action Figures muscle video games out of retail The Video Revolution, Newsweek, August 6, 1984 UNITED STATES EDITION, Section: BUSINESS; Pg. 50 Media Room, The Associated Press, August 12, 1984, Sunday, BC cycle Video killed the Video Game Star FROM PAC-MAN TO GI JOE, Forbes, August 13, 1984, Section: MONEY AND INVESTMENTS; The Columnists; Psychology & Investing; Pg. 138, Byline: By Srully Blotnick; Toys sales boom, United Press International, August 21, 1984, Tuesday, BC cycle, Section: Financial Playthings, August 1984. Video Game tie-ins come of age Allan Carr keeps bubbling to the top in a heady world, The San Diego Union-Tribune,August 12, 1984 Sunday, Section: ENTERTAINMENT; Pg. E-2, Byline: David Elliott, Movie Critic ACTIVISION; To develop and market software based on Ghostbusters motion picture, Business Wire, August 28, 1984, Tuesday Gregory Fischbach Part 1 - Activision - Acclaim - Jay Balakrishnan - HESWare, Radical, Dynamics, Solid State Software - Nintendo sees coinop sales plummet Nintendo anticipates greater sales, profit, The Japan Economic Journal, August 28, 1984, Section: SECURITIES; Pg. 16 Atari sells distributorship Replay, August 1984, pg. 3 Coin-op computers a bust Campus coin-op computers crash; Good product ahead of its time, United Press International, August 29, 1984, Wednesday, BC cycle, Section: Financial, Byline: By J.B. BLOSSER 3rd parties scrap releases Computer Entertainer Vol. 3 Number 5 pg. 11 IBM tries to save the PCJr I.B.M. RAISES DIVIDEND, OFFERS A FREE KEYBOARD, The New York Times, August 1, 1984, Wednesday, Late City , Final Edition, Section: Section D; Page 1, Column 1; Financial Desk, Byline: By STUART DIAMOND MICROPRO; Greets enhanced PCjr with WordStar, Business Wire, August 13, 1984, Monday IBM announces AT I.B.M.'S. NEW POWERHOUSE A T ;TWICE AS FAST AS OLD PC'S, The New York Times, August 15, 1984, Wednesday, Late City Final Edition, Section: Section D; Page 1, Column 3; Financial Desk, Byline: By DAVID E. SANGER SHORTAGE OF SEMICONDUCTORS EASES, The New York Times, August 27, 1984, Monday, Late City Final Edition, Section: Section D; Page 1, Column 3; Financial Desk, Byline: By DAVID E. SANGER IBM and EC reach agreement WEEK IN BUSINESS;BEST WEEK EVER ON WALL STREET, The New York Times, August 5, 1984, Sunday, Late City , Final Edition, Section: Section 3; Page 14, Column 3; Financial Desk, Byline: By Nathaniel C. Nash IBM announces new business strategy for Europe I.B.M.'S NEW ROLE IN EUROPE, The New York Times, August 13, 1984, Monday, Late City Final Edition, Section: Section D; Page 1, Column 4; Financial Desk, Byline: By DAVID E. SANGER MSX to miss XMAS Amstrad pricing very competitive Sinclair launches Speccy bundle Sinclair plans stock flotation Sinclair wants to get into chip manufacturing Sinclair earnings miss expectations Dragon goes to Espana! Spanish take over failed Dragon computer maker, Financial Times (London,England), August 15, 1984, Wednesday, Section: SECTION I; Pg. 12, Byline: BY CHARLES BATCHELOR IN LONDON Macintosh software still scarce Michael Dornbrook Part 1 - Infocom - MIDI comes to micros Pioneer launchees interactive laser disc Byte profiles 6502 successor Great space race budget breaks records Lord British given credit for Questron Joel Billings - SSI - US games flood UK Virgin goes for quality Domark launches with big contest Sexy Games get activists in a tissy Computer adoption in schools still slow Stumbling into the computer age, Forbes, August 13, 1984, Section: INDUSTRIES; Pg. 35, Byline: By Kathleen R. Wiegner Computers find their purpose Road Warrior' rides again, Computerworld, August 13, 1984, Section: EDITORIAL; LECHT ON SCIENCE; Pg. 47, Byline: By Charles P. Lecht NABU gets software subsidiary "Sets Up Software Subsidiary; WHEELER SAYS HE MISSES 'BULLY PULPIT' BUT ENJOYS PRIVATE INDUSTRY, Communications Daily, August 20, 1984, Monday, Section: Vol. 4, No. 162; Pg. 5" Tech support goes online Telephone hot lines for software problems, Financial Times (London,England), August 29, 1984, Wednesday, Section: SECTION I; Technology; Professional Personal Computing; Pg. 5, Byline: PHILIP MANCHESTER WH Smith profits surge on computer sales RESULTS DUE NEXT WEEK, Financial Times (London,England), August 18, 1984, Saturday, Section: SECTION I; UK Companies; Pg. 17 Radio Shack loses ground TANDY'S SHIFTING SALES STRATEGY, The New York Times, August 19, 1984, Sunday, Late City Final Edition, Section: Section 3; Page 1, Column 3; Financial Desk, Length: 2350 words, Byline: By PETER W. BARNES Drug Store Chain sues Mattel Drug Chain Sues Mattel For Alleged Discrimination Against Retailer, The Associated Press, August 3, 1984, Friday, BC cycle, No Headline In Original, United Press International, August 3, 1984, Friday, BC cycle, Section: Financial, Length: 188 words, Dateline: SYRACUSE, N.Y. Data Age sues Mr. T HE PITIES THE FOOL, United Press International, August 20, 1984, Monday, BC cycle, Section: Domestic News, Byline: By FRANK SANELLO, United Press International Pirates go pro TVs adapt to the new media landscape HOME VIDEO; TV SETS: NEW FUNCTIONS, NEW FORMS, The New York Times, August 12, 1984, Sunday, Late City Final Edition, Section: Section 2; Page 24, Column 1; Arts and Leisure Desk, Byline: By HANS FANTEL Executives get high-tech The all-electronic Executive, Financial Times (London,England), August 4, 1984, Saturday, Section: SECTION I; The Information Revolution; Pg. 12, Byline: By Alan Cane Touch screen system used for tourists Touch computer for tourists boon to advertisers, promoters, United Press International, August 19, 1984, Sunday, BC cycle, Section: Financial, Byline: By JOHN J. SANKO Army introduces joystick controlled rocket Technology Today: Fiber-optic guided missiles -- ultimate video game, United Press International, August 20, 1984, Monday, BC cycle, Section: Domestic News, Byline: By WILLIAM HARWOOD, Gaming Jesus shall bare the mark No Headline In Original, United Press International, August 9, 1984, Thursday, AM cycle, Section: Domestic News Compu-Cruise to set sail Recommended Links: The History of How We Play: Gaming Alexandria: They Create Worlds: Digital Antiquarian: The Arcade Blogger: Retro Asylum: Retro Game Squad: Playthrough Podcast: Retromags.com: Games That Weren't - Sound Effects by Ethan Johnson of History of How We Play. Copyright Karl Kuras

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August 1984 is an episode from Video Game Newsroom Time Machine by Karl Kuras.

This episode is 05:06:29 long.

This episode was published on Jan 30, 2025.

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